OAKLAND — Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan announced new efforts Wednesday to expand health coverage for children in the county.

About 13,000 children in Alameda County are eligible for publicly funded health coverage, such as Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, but are not currently enrolled, Chan said.

“The county of Alameda accepts the challenge by the United States Health and Human Services to cover all children,” she said at a new conference at La Clinica de la Raza, where she was joined by county health officials.

Besides increasing its community outreach, the county has launched a new online tool, One E-App, which provides families with an electronic application for health benefits.

Chan also said that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, along with the Alameda Alliance for Health, a nonprofit health plan, are committed to ensuring that vision coverage for children is protected against state budget cuts. The program is on the state budget chopping block.

“The budget threatens cuts to vision coverage for children,” she said. “Alameda County will fight against that.”

According to Alex Briscoe, director of Alameda County Health Care Services, adolescents have the lowest use of available services.

“We need to make services more accessible — in safe, welcoming places where confidentiality is in place,” Briscoe said.

The main causes of death for people ages 14 to 24 are homicide, suicide, and automobile accidents — all of which, according to Briscoe, can be prevented.

Maria Sandoval and her daughter have been members of Healthy Families since 2001. Sandoval said that knowing her daughter has health care gives her peace of mind.

“We know if we have a problem, we can get the answers we need,” she said.

Sandoval said the program has given her and her daughter access to preventive care, prescription coverage and interpreters for doctors’ office visits.

“The Hispanic community should not shy away regardless of legal status,” Sandoval said. “It is important for us to seek help and education.”

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